Locking device for french phone



United States lateA LOCKING nEvrCE Fon FRENCH PHONE Charles W. Medenhach, East Keansburg, N. J. Application Julyl27, 1954, SerialNo. 445,951

4 Claims. (Cl. 179-`-189) This invention relates to-a locking device for a French phone and more particularly to a snap-on clamp tolock wthe French lphone in an inoperative position so-that it cannot be'removed by children or persons unauthorized to use the telephone.

lThe prior art discloses a great many locking ldevices for telephones. Many of the locks are attached to the receiver alone. Others are attached 'to lthe dial and the prior art discloses a combination lock that although locked to the dial also retains the French phone in a locked position. However all Vof the prior references are drawn to locking devices where a key is involved, to prevent the use of the phone by an unauthorized person. Applicants invention is primarily drawn to a snapon device that is `quickly and easily snapped -into a holding position or quickly released by lan adult but is constructed so that the average child cannot remove rther French phone.

It is a object of this invention to .provide a C clamp snap-on device to retain a French phone in an inoperative -position and prevent children from using the phone.

A further object of thisvinvention is to .provide a C clamp snap-on device that maybe locked in an inoperative position to prevent unauthorized persons from using vthe phone.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clamping device to retain a French phone in an inoperative position and prevent children from using the phone.

A further object of this invention is to vprovide a rubber wedge that may be inserted above the receiver retaining hook element to retain this switching element in an inoperative position even though the receiver maybe removed.

Other objects of this invention shall be apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description and the drawings in which l Fig. 1 is a side elevationalviewfof a'lFrench phone with the C clamp attached,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of a further embodiment ofthe C clamp of Fig.' 1,

Fig. 3 is a Afront elevationalview-'of IaFrench phone andV clamp illustrating a further embodiment,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view ofi'a further embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 5 is an elevational View of 4a further embodiment of this invention, and

Fig. 6 is a cross'sectional'viewmf' an enlarged detail ofithe wedge shown in Fig. 5.

`Referring to the drawings andFigwl `Vi'n particu-larfthere is illustrated a French phone 10 which comprises a base 11 and a microphone and receiver .hand set 12. The base 11 is provided with the usual switch element 14 that is retained in an open position by the weight of the hand set 12. With this type of phone, as soon as the hand set 12 is lifted a circuit is completed to the operator or the lcircuit is closed so that a dial may be operated to in turn connect the phone to another party. This ar- O r'Vice dllllti Patented Dec. 16, l1958 2 rangement is ideal for adults. But in the average home where there lare children the children mimic their adults removing the phone completing a circuit to the operator or to other parties by using the dial and causing considerable confusion or annoyance. Likewise on party lines children remove the hand piece 12 and continually interfere with the use of thev phone by other parties on the line. In order that this condition may be corrected this invention contemplates the `use of a' C clamp 15 which is formed so that its upper end 16 isshaped to litkv the top surface of the hand piece 12, while the lower end 17 of the C clamp 15 is shaped to tit into the open portion of base 10 directly below the hand piece 12. The under or engaging surface of end 16 may be provided with a pieceof felt or coated with a soft material. In order'that the C clamp 15 will remain in this position the -lower end of the C clamp is provided with a spring pressed detent 18 and again the construction of the average base 10 is taken -advantage of, that is, there is a cut out portion 19 in the `base 10 and the cut out portion 19 is formed with `a shoulder 20. The spring pressed detent 18 is positioned inthe end 17 so that the upper end of the detent 18 will engage shoulder y20 when 'the C clamp isin a retaining position. lt is apparent that knowing the construction of the C clamp any adult may readily snap the lower end 17 of theC clamp to release the clamp 15 and in turn lift clamp=15 from the hand piece 12. 'By the same token the clamp 15 may be quickly and easily snapped into the retaining 'position illustrated in Fig. l. lt is apparent that theraverage child would not anticipate the manner of releasing the C clamp 15 and the average pull on C clamp -1-5 will not permit the 'clamp to be released. It is .only yby a certain movement of C clamp 15 that the spring def ltent 1S is released to permit the easy removal `of the clamp.

Referring to Fig. 2 it is apparent that the same type C clamp 15A is illustrated provided with the same spring pressed detent 18A. The spring pressed detent 18A is similar to the detent 18 of Fig. 1. This spring pressed detent is constructed as follows. The spring pressed detent 1SA is inserted in a bore 22 inthe end 17 of the C clamp. Bore 22 does not extend through the C clamp so 'that-a smaller bore 23 may extend from the opposite internal surface of the C clamp to connect the bore' 22. The springpressed detent 1S-is constructed of a central plunger 24 that extends upward through the bore 23 so that its upper'end protrudes a predetermineddistance from the internal surface of the C clamp. A washer 25 is permanently-axed to the plunger-'24 and spaced a lpredetermined distance below the tip -of the element 24. Washer is of a AVdiameter to fit in bore 122. A spring 26 -is inserted surrounding Jelement 24 'fand 'bearing -against thelower Vsurface."offwasher 25. -The "27 is-"ttedl-in'to bore 322. lt may bethreadablyrfsecnred or permanently-secured' as "illustrated In addition Kthere -islab'ore '28 providedinVtheend1`17A1 of the clamp `115A. 'A cylinder lock Z9 is mounted inib'orewZS. The cylinder lock29is provided `"with atumblerrs'tithat 'in a locked position will extend-out ia'ndrUnderwire-shoulder f ofA the Washer 25 to retain detent 13A in a lockedtpositi'on. f-A key 31 is provided so that the tumbler'lock'29rnayi be `unlock'ed'to retract ithettirr'iblerll and?thuspermitdetent 18A to again be pressed downward to release the C clamp 15A. lt is apparent that C clamp 15A may be quickly and easily snapped into a locked position on a French phone and by a simple insertion of key 31, the lock 29 permits the C clamp to be locked so that unauthorized persons cannot use the phone.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 there is illustrated a'further embodiment of this invention in which a base 11A is constructed slightly different from the base 11 of Fig. 1.

vIn this modification of the telephone there is no hollowed t generally C-shaped the lower portion of the C is divided and there are two lower ends 17B spaced sufficiently so that they will tit either side of the pedestal formation 33. The upper portion of the clamp 15B may be identical to the upper portion of the C clamp 15 or 15A. However in a further embodiment of the clamp 15B there is illustrated in Fig. 4 aclamp 15C. Clamp 15C is provided with a lower portion 17B similar to the lower portion of clamp 15B. However the upper end 16B is bent so that it bears directly on the switch element 14 instead of bearing on the hand piece 12. It is apparent that the switch element 14 of base 11 may be retained in an open or inoperative position and the hand piece 12 may rest on clamp 15C. With this type of clamp the removal of the hand piece 12 by a child will not activate a circuit to the operator or activate the dialing mechanism.

Referring to Figs. and 6 there is illustrated a further embodiment of this invention in which there is provided a different type of telephone mounting. This is a wall type element 40 which is generally provided with a hook shaped switch 41 to retain the hand piece 12. In this type of device the removal of the hand piece 12 permits the hook element 41 to move upward due to a spring element within the portion 40 which activates the circuit to the operator or to the dialing device. In order that this type of element may be made inoperative for children a wedge shaped element 42 is provided. Element 42 may be constructed of rubber, plastic or other rigid material and its upper surface 43 may be corrugated or formed with a rough texture to provide a good gripping relationship. As illustrated in Fig. 5 the wedge shaped element 42 may'be inserted above the hook element 41 in the slot shaped aperture 44 provided in element 40. With the wedge 42 tightly wedged in slot 44 the hand piece 12 may be removed from the hook 41 without activating the circuit to the operator or dialing device.

It is apparent that although the telephone is not standardized to a single design there may be variations of the clamp as described herein so that the clamp will tit any modification of the telephone structure without departing from the spirit of this invention. As long as the clamp retains the hand piece in a locked position and is easily snapped into engagement or out of engagement to prevent the operation of the phone by a child or in the further embodiment of the invention the operation of the phone by an unauthorized person, the deviceshall not depart from the spirit of this invention. Likewise as long as the phone shall be retained in an inoperative circuit relation by a simple element that may be snapped into or out of engagement therewith any variation of this element shall cover the spirit of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claims. Although a tumbler lock has been illustrated with an extended tumbler as the means of locking the C clamp the exact position at which the tumbler is mounted may be departed from or the manner in which the tumblers shall project to provide the necessary locking relation may be varied without departing from the spin't of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A snap-on clamp for a French phone which includes a French phone, said French phone including a base, a C shaped body of suicient size to encompass the French phone with one half of C-shaped body when it is resting upon the telephone base, said base of said phone provided with a cut away portion on one side below the position at which the French phone rests on said base, the opposite halt:` of said C clamp shaped to t into the cut away portion of the telephone base, said lower portion of said C clamp provided with a spring pressed plunger, said plunger retracting within the C clamp to permit the lower end of the C clamp to iit into the cut away portion of the base and said spring pressed plunger providing a gripping detent to hold said C clamp in a snapped on holding relationship.

2. In a device according to claim l in which the upper portion of the C clamp is provided with a felt pad to grip the upper surface of the French phone.

3. A snap-on clamp for a French phonewhich includes a French phone, said French phone including a base,` a C-shaped body of suflicient size to encompass the French phone with one half of C-shaped body when it is resting upon the telephone base, said base of said phone provided with a cut away portion on one side below the position at which the French phone rests on said base, the opposite half of said C clamp shaped to t into the cut away portion of the telephone base, said lower portion of said C clamp provided with a spring pressed plunger, and a cylinder lock with extended tumblers inserted in the lower portion of the C clamp so that the extended tumblers of said lock will abut with said spring pressed plunger to retain said spring pressed plunger locked in an extended position, said plunger being pressed within the C clamp when said lock is released to permit the lower end of the C clamp to tit into the cut away portion of the base and said spring pressed plunger extending into the cutaway portion of the base to provide a snap-on detent to hold said C clamp in a locked position.

4. A snap-on clamp for a French phone which includes a French phone, said French phone including a base, a C-shaped body of suicient size to encompass the French phone with one half of the C-shaped body, the base of said phone provided with a cutaway portion below the position at which the phone rests upon said base, the base end of said C clamp shaped to iit into the cutaway portion of the telephone base, the upper end of said C clamp formed to encompass the element to be locked, said lower end of said C clamp provided with a spring pressed plunger, said resiliently supported plunger being pressed within the C clamp to permit the lower end of the C clamp to pass into the cutaway portion of the base and said spring pressed plunger protruding out of said C clamp when positioned within the cutaway portion of the base to provide a gripping detent to hold said C clamp in a snapped on holding relationship.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 171,807 Homan Jan. 4, 1876 1,172,658 Allen Feb. 22, 1916 2,588,176 Stauch Mar. 4, 1952 2,641,659 BensonV June 9, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,708 Sweden June 3, 1941 374,035 Germany Nov. 20, 1921 

